Hamas outlines basic principles

Hamas document outlining principles of incoming Palestinian government surfaces Saturday night; Hamas says it is 'committed to the expulsion of the occupation and the right of return,' says it has 'right of resistance in all its forms'

Addressing the question of whether Hamas would recognize Israel, the document stated that "this would done with consultation with the Palestinian organizations and institutions, and the Palestinian people in its entirety."

Haniyeh met with lawyers in Gaza over the weekend (Photo: AP)

These are the Hamas' founding principles:

"To respect the blood of martyrs and sacrifices of the Palestinian people for the safeguarding of the national rights of the Palestinians, which cannot be given up, for the sake of carrying on the struggle to remove the occupation, and safeguarding the right of return, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as it capital. We announce that the founding principles of our government will be based on the following points.

1. The expulsion of the occupation and the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

2. A commitment to the right of return of Palestinians to their homes and property. We believe that the right of return is a private and collective right that can't be given up.

3. Resistance in all its formed is a legitimate right of the Palestinian people in its path to put an end to the occupation and the reinstatement of its national rights.

4. The start of a wide reform process in the Palestinian Authority's institutions. These institutions should be based on the principles of democracy, justice, the rule of law, political pluralism, and the principle of the separation of authorities and the guarding human rights and private property.

5. The Palestinian government will address the reality created following previous agreements between the Authority and the occupation and it is the right of the government to reassess these agreements on the basis of international law and in accordance with the rights of the Palestinians people.

6. The Palestinian government will protect the independence of the choice Palestinian people and its institutions, and will safeguard its sovereignty in this matter.

7. The government will emphasize the Arab and Islamic character of the Palestinian issue and will act to enlist Arab and Islamic support for the Palestinian people in every sector.

8. The government will hold friendly and positive relations on the basis of mutual respect with Arab and Muslim countries and with the countries of the world.

9. In principle, we will be prepared to continue with the current calm, which is a path to obtain national goals, and not a goal. The calm does not mean a cancellation of the right to resist and the right to respond to Israeli violations. The calm is stipulated on the end of all Israeli aggression and the release of prisoners."

PA Chairman Abbas has expressed dissatisfaction with clauses in the document in which Hamas says it reserves the right to "reassess" previous agreements between the PA and Israel. Abbas wrote to Haniyeh saying that negotiations was the only strategic approach of the Palestinian people, adding that they could be criticized, but not doubted.

Hamas is expecting talks with Abbas to resume after the PA chairman returns from a tour abroad next week.